Friction-modifiers (friction-adjusting agents) are used for adjusting the friction characteristics of a lubricant to an appropriate level. Friction-modifiers which reduce friction are used in lubricating compositions such as gear oils and engine oils with a view to reducing fuel costs. Friction-modifiers which raise friction are used for maintaining a certain high friction level in the lubricating compositions which are used in the wet-type clutch part of an automatic gear box. Many types of such friction-modifiers have been proposed.
The organic molybdenum compounds are the most typical of these friction-modifiers and, as shown in “Shinban Sekiyu Seihin Tenkasai” (New Edition, Additives for Petroleum Products), by Toshio SAKURAI, Saiwai Shobo Co., published 25 Jul. 1986, these organic molybdenum compounds are compounds which have two molybdenum atoms in one molecule as shown in formulae (2) and (3) below.

(Those compounds for which in this formulae x=0 and y=4, those for which x+y=4, and those for which x≧2 are insoluble in oil and the others are oil-soluble.)
Furthermore, compounds in which the element molybdenum is included twice in one molecule have been disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3495764, Japanese Examined Patent Publication 45-24562, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Laid Open 52-19629, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Laid Open 52-106824 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Laid Open 48-56202.
A problem with catalyst poisoning in the apparatus which is used for cleaning-up the exhaust gas arises when compounds which contain phosphorus in the molecule as shown in the aforementioned general formula (2) are added to engine oils and there is a demand for compounds which are phosphorus-free.